HB 1231 Summary

• Superintendent of public instruction shall appoint a task force to review all statutes relating to literacy, dyslexia, and related teacher training, with findings and recommendations to be reported to the sixty-ninth legislative assembly.

• Teacher licensure candidates for early childhood and elementary education must demonstrate competencies in beginning reading instruction including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, assessment of reading ability, identification of reading difficulties, and use of systematic direct instruction.

• Dyslexia screening and intervention program continued as ongoing initiative (not limited to pilot period through 2022-23 school year) with school districts and special education units providing universal screenings for children seven years and younger upon parent, guardian, or teacher request.

• Definition of "dyslexia" clarified as a neurobiological learning disability characterized by difficulties with word recognition, spelling, and decoding abilities independent of general intelligence level.

• Section 1 of the act expires December 31, 2024; repeals mandatory dyslexia screening statute (section 15.1-32-25).